Geranium plant named Freedom

ABSTRACT

This invention is a new and distinct cultivar of a zonal  geranium  ( Pelargonium×hortorum ) named ‘Freedom’ the cultivar has a brilliant array of colors within the plant&#39;s Dk. Red blossom and medium green foliage on a stable, full, well branched plant.

DESCRIPTION

Bontanical designation: Pelargonium×hortorum.

Variety denomination: ‘Freedom’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar was developed from a controlled breeding program conducted at the J.P. Bartlett Company. The company used a non-patented cultivar designated #94122 as the male parent and a non-patented cultivar designated #99220 as the female parent in a cultivated area to create a single plant ‘Freedom’. ‘Freedom's’ plant habit is symmetrical with excellent basal branching. The new cultivar ‘Freedom’ differs from its male parent in color shade being lighter and less vibrant. The new cultivar ‘Freedom’ differ from it's female parent in number of petals being more than it's parent. Asexual propagation of the new cultivar by cuttings at the location previously stated has shown that the unique features of this new geranium are stable and that the plant reproduces true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The plants growth habit is medium to large in vigor. It is a full plant that performs well in both a greenhouse and in a natural environment such as a garden. It will grow more compact under drier conditions but has the ability to be a larger and more vigorous plant with sufficient water and partial shade. The blossoms are tolerant to rain, not turning brown and rotting after a day or so of straight rain. ‘Freedom’ buds early and is consistent with a larger and longer lasting blossom than many other cultivars known to inventor. On average, the plant itself can get to over 334 millimeters tall, not including the stem or flower. The free branching nature of ‘Freedom’ allows the plants girth to grow and flourish. The width of a single plant is measured to be 474 millimeters and growing. The vibrancy of blossom color and strong green leaf color separates itself from any other known to inventor. The semi-double blossom is a dark red with a slight orange gradation towards the center of each petal. ‘Freedom's’ stem is a distinguished medium green, while the leaf produces a unique variation of colors all in its own. ‘Freedom's’ standout performance is regarded highly due to it's excellent growth habit, size, blossom and leaf. The new cultivar of the present invention is being marketed under the BARTLETT'S trademark.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

-   Accompanying this application is a photographed picture of the plant     and its' aspects.

1. FIG. 1 shows the large, semi-double blossom and the dark red color described in the summary.

2. FIG. 2 enables us to see the medium green leaf with the darker green zone.

3. FIG. 3 shows the overall plant. This is a stock plant from a cutting in a 7.5 inch pot. The height, width, and growth habit are clearly seen here.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following observations and measurements describe asexual reproductions of ‘Freedom’ grown in greenhouses located in Sudbury, Mass., USA. The plant history was taken on 3 month old plants grown in 7.5″ pots, blossomed under natural light in a greenhouse and color readings were taken in the greenhouse in Sudbury, Mass. under ambient light. Color references are primarily to the Pantone Color Selector Chart 1000 /coated 1995. The color values were determined on May 11, 2004 under natural light conditions of 200 foot-candles.

-   Classification:     -   -   Botanical.—Pelargonium×hortorum cv. ‘Freedom’. -   Inflorescence: -   A. Umbel:     -   -   Flowering duration.—The flowers last approximately 13 to 18             days under standard greenhouse conditions and then dehisce.         -   Average diameter.—Approximately 9 to 11 cm.         -   Average depth.—Approximately 2.8 to 4.3 cm.         -   Peduncle length.—Approximately 15 to 17 cm.         -   Peduncle diameter.—Approximately 0.5 to 0.6 cm.         -   Pedicel length.—Approximately 2.5 to 3 cm.         -   Number of umbels per plant.—When grown in a 7.5″ pot at 8             weeks after the sticking of a rooted cutting, there commonly             are approximately 5 to 7 umbels per plant. The umbels form             approximately 10 to 13 cm above the foliage.         -   Number of florets/umbel.—When grown in a 7.5 ″ pot at 8             weeks, approximately 21 to 27 florets per umbel commonly are             formed.         -   Flower depth.—Approximately 6 to 8 cm. -   B. Corolla:     -   -   Buds.—Elliptical to round in configuration, initially light             green and changing to dark red at the time of opening, and             approximately 13 to 16 mm. in length and approximately 7 to             9 mm. in width.         -   Pedicels.—Commonly approximately 3.5 to 4 cm in length and             straight which commonly causes the buds to point             substantially upward.         -   Average diameter.—Approximately 6 to 8 cm.         -   Form.—Commonly semi-double with at least two petaloids.         -   Petals.—Spatulate shaped, satiny and smooth. Commonly             approximately 9 to 11 petals are present per floret. Petal             base is V-shape with a semi-circular margin. Petal length is             approximately 0,.95 cm and the diameter is approximately             1.5 cm. The upper petal surface is smooth opposed to lower             petal surface being slightly rougher.         -   Number of petaloids.—Commonly forms approximately 2 to 4             petaloids per floret.         -   Color.—General tonality from a distance of three meters:             Dark Red.         -   Color of upper petals.—Pantone 214C.         -   Color of lower petals surface.—Pantone 213C.         -   Markings of upper petals.—Orange spot at base of petal             Pantone 1795C.         -   Sepals.—5 -7 sepals per floret with a length of             approximately 0.3 to 0.7 cm and width of 0.04 to 0.08 cm.             The overall shape is elliptical with V-shaped base and             margin with semi-circular apex. Upper and lower surface are             the same texture and color. Smooth, non-glossy with both             Pantone 377C.         -   Overall appearance of color.—Pantone 214C. -   C. Reproductive Organs:     -   -   Androecium.—5 fertile anthers, with whitish filaments,             orange pollen is located on the lower side of the mature             (open) anther. The surface of the anther under the pollen is             dark brown.         -   Gynoecium.—5 lobed red stigma, Pantone 233C, greenish style,             Pantone 370C; one pistil, Pantone 377C per flower.         -   Fertility/seed set.—Commonly does not produce fruits in the             absence of mechanical fertilization.         -   Spring flowering response period.—Approximately 5 to 8 weeks             from rooted cuttings under standard greenhouse conditions.         -   Outdoor flower production.—Freely flowering under outdoor             growing conditions with substantially continuous blooming.         -   Durability.—Ships well.         -   Pest/disease resistance/susceptibility.—No susceptibility to             pests or diseases noted to date. Disease resistance has not             been tested to date. -   Plant: -   A. Foliage: Medium green with darker zonation. Zoning color is     Pantone 357c. The leaves are pubescent on the upper surface, and     smooth on the lower surface.     -   -   Length.—4.5 to 5.5 cm.         -   Width.—7 to 8 cm.         -   Form.—Reniform, with a cordate base.         -   Margin.—Irregularly crenate.         -   Ribs and veins.—Palmate 4.5 to 5.5 cm long.         -   Leaf color.—Upper side is Pantone 364C. Under side is             Pantone 371C. Leaf upper surface covered predominately with             trichomes Pantone 364c and leaf lower surface is             predominately smooth.         -   Petioles.—Commonly approximately 4 to 6 cm long with a             diameter of 19 to 23 cm.         -   Petiole color.—Is Pantone 370C. -   A. General appearance and form:     -   -   Internode length.—Commonly varies from approximately 0.9 to             1.3 cm.         -   Branching pattern.—Freely basal branching as well as lateral             branching. No pinching is required to obtain self-branching.             A self-branching growth habit is observed in the absence of             a growth regulator.         -   Height.—Approximately 30 to 35 cm. above a 7.5″ pot at 8             weeks under standard greenhouse conditions. 

1. A new and distinct variety of geranium plant as herein illustrated and described. 